Stronger
by winterwood11
Summary: 'Did he really think that she would plead for him to come back? Well, he could hope and hope, but that would never happen.' After a break up with Draco, Hermione is left alone, but not lonely. She is determined not to let anyone use her, or 'step over her' again. Ends with eventual Ron/Hermione.


This is written for the Hogwarts Games 2012 Rhythmic Gymnastics, the Songfic Boot Camp and the Music Awards 2012. Also, thanks to my beta, MrsBates93 :) I hope you enjoy this :)

* * *

_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger_

* * *

"_You're with someone else too, aren't you?" She asked in the dead silence._

"_I have no idea what you're talking about," he replied in a cold voice._

"_Don't lie," She locked her eyes defiantly onto his, "She told me herself."_

"_Well, if you already know, why ask me?" He answered indifferently._

"_I wanted to hear it from you." She countered, "So, it's true then?" _

_He nodded stiffly, his face betraying not a wisp of emotion. They stared at each other for a few moments_

"_Right, in that case," She mustered her strongest voice, "I think you should leave."_

_His tone was almost conversational as he answered; but yet it had an underlying tone of a threat, "And I think, that you will regret it if I do."_

"_I am quite sure that I know the best for myself," She said, keeping her tone constant although it trembled once, "I want and need someone who treasures me, and not someone who takes me as a back-up choice who will always be waiting there faithfully. I want somebody who can admit his mistakes, not just someone who is my intellectual equal. You, unfortunately, lack the core requirements."_

"_I'll take that as a compliment then, being smart. The rest isn't so important to me," he replied with the hint of a sneer._

"_Just go, Draco," Hermione took out her wand._

_He eyed it for a moment and smirked, as he turned to leave, "Don't worry, I will. But I bet that you'll be running after me – if not now, then later."_

_As he disapparated with a loud crack, Hermione sat on her couch as the tears streamed down her face, silently. _

_She was a Gryffindor; she would be brave and strong._

* * *

Hermione Granger tucked herself into her bed as she turned off her night light. It had been three days ago when Draco Malfoy and she had separated. And it was in this exact bed that they had been together, for so many nights, creating so many _memories_. But then and again, he was with _her _at the same time. His heart had not been with Hermione. It had hurt at first, but she had gotten over the realisation.

She had never realised the coldness his aura had on her, even when they were sleeping in this bed together, during the time of her blissful ignorance. In comparison, she felt safer; warmer when she was sleeping alone now. She could read in bed, listen to music… do whatever she wanted to. When he had been here, things had been so one-tracked. She thought that she had wanted it to be so then, but now, she realised this was better – _much_ better.

_You think you got the best of me  
Think you had the last laugh  
Bet you think that everything good is gone  
Think you left me broken down  
Think that I'll come running back  
Baby you don't know me, cause you're dead wrong_

Draco Malfoy; he thought that he had gotten one up over her, as if he had the last say. That was purely a figment of his imagination. Hermione was not an emotionless robot, so of course it had hurt at first. But, she did not want to depend on a man for her happiness. She would prove him wrong. She was an independent, smart woman who had a well-paid job at the ministry. She could provide for herself; she had her friends. She simply would _not_ be brought down by _heartbreak._

The self-centred person had expected to have left her broken and miserable as if he had taken everything good with him. It was in his nature to think that everything and everyone revolved around him. Did he really think that she would plead for him to come back? Well, he could _hope_ and hope, but that would never happen. No matter what, she would _never_ sink to the point where she would run back to him – not even if he begged for it. He was _dead _wrong if he thought she would.

_What doesn't kill you makes you stronger  
Stand a little taller  
Doesn't mean I'm lonely when I'm alone_

All Draco Malfoy was, was a challenge and an obstacle. The break-up had not killed her or broke her spirit. What it _had_ done? It had made her _stronger_. She felt better, as if she knew what she could handle. So what if she was alone? It definitely did not mean that she was _lonely_. He himself had said that, quite a while ago when they had first went out. The two were not the same. She was completely fine being by herself.

She would prove to him, and to anyone else that doubted her that she was _not_ over just because he was gone.

With the spirit of determination shining strong inside her, Hermione Granger closed her eyes and went to sleep.

* * *

_You heard that I was starting over with someone new  
They told you I was moving on and over you  
You didn't think that I'd come back  
I'd come back swinging  
You try to break me, but you see…  
_

"Hey Ron," Hermione smiled as she met her red-headed friend. She received a smile in return as the two began to walk side-by side to a nearby café.

"So, are you ok?" he asked, with a slightly awkward tone in his voice. The two had not spoken for quite a while, what with the drama between Draco and him. And for Ron to try and understand… she thought it was so sweet of him with his track record in terms of his notorious emotional capacity.

"I'm perfectly fine, Ron," Hermione replied with another smile, "It's not as if the world has ended with the end of a relationship. Personally, I am quite relieved."

A look of –was it happiness? – appeared on Ron's face for a moment, in the form of a boyish grin. "That's great! I hoped that you wouldn't be so hung up over that ferrety git."

Hermione felt a little pang in her heart, but she still laughed at his little nickname for him – the amazing bouncing ferret.

She remembered the furious rant that had come from Ron when the news about her break-up had reached him and Harry. He had threatened to hex Draco after cursing him profusely and talking about how he was right about how Malfoy could never be trusted.

It was after that that she realised Ron was much better for her than Draco Malfoy had ever been. Had he ever been so defensive for her like Ron was? She thought not. Perhaps at the beginning, he was. But it was the end that counted to her. At any rate, she had so many more memories with Ron anyway – more than seven years' worth of them. Sure, they had their fights and the odd disagreement, but their little 'reunions' had always been so nice. It felt as if both of them understood more about each other afterwards.

With Draco… was it a bit too perfect? Surprisingly enough, they had hardly any quarrels at all. It was as if both parties were allowing the other to do whatever they wanted to. He was a bit too much like the perfect gentleman sometimes. And then in other times, he would be so moody and unpredictable. Well, at least she had learnt what she liked – something not too 'happily ever after' like in those books, but not with someone with such a great amount of mood swings – she needed a break sometimes and that kind of love was where she would really love someone.

"Well, I'm not. I'm just taking what happened as a learning experience in love," Hermione stated matter-of-factly

"Hermione, must you reference everything to a learning experience? Even love?!" Ron said with a comical face, as he opened the door to the café.

"Well, learning is a never ending process, Ron, and love… it's amazing, it brings people together, it allows them to see past each other's faults… it's quite indescribable really," She stated in her most professor-like voice, "The day I stop learning and loving is the day I die.

Ron swivelled around back to face her as he adopted a worried tone and a look of horror on his face, "I swear that I heard Professor McGonagall speaking just now; was it you?!"

The combination of his expression and his words made Hermione giggle once again as she stated, "Oh Ron, I think I'll never be able to talk about important truths of life with you!"

At any rate, Ron made her laugh. She could enjoy herself with his little _ways_. He would always take her mind off of her worries.

The rest of their trip in the café was pleasant, as they spoke over a drink of two lattes and their choice of pastries.

* * *

In the coming weeks, Hermione and Ron would always go out to the same café – it had almost become a ritual. And from these little trips, Hermione realised how much she had missed this friendly banter with Ron. She found out how much he actually knew about her little pet peeves and strange obsessions.

And it was thus when Ron asked Hermione for an "um, a date I mean uh well yeah," she had accepted.

She had moved on over Draco - who had such low esteem of Hermione's willpower. He had tried to break her spirit, but he had not succeeded. In fact, he was nowhere close. He thought that she would not recover, but she had done so.

* * *

_Thanks to you I got a new thing started  
Thanks to you I'm not the broken-hearted  
Thanks to you I'm finally thinking about me  
You know in the end the day you left was just my beginning_

Actually, Hermione realised that she should _thank_ Draco Malfoy. If it wasn't for him, she would never have started something magical with Ron. She would be weaker than she was now, with her new-found confidence. In fact, it was only now that she was finally thinking about herself – she had thought too little of herself in the past. Had he not once said that she was too nice and let herself be stepped-over? Well, he had certainly helped her learn her lesson.

In the end, the day that he left was the beginning of a_ new_ story – one with promising potential.

* * *

A/N: I can't believe I wrote about Romione, and broke up Draco and Hermione :( But at any rate, I hope that you liked it. Please Review :)


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